Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0Bennett’s library runs 111 programs per 1,000 residents, against a typical 60 for libraries its size
Bennett Public Library serves Bennett’s 813 residents. Last year it lent 1,700 print books and media and logged 2,138 visits.
What Bennett’s library is like
A small-town library
Bennett Public Library serves 813 residents with about one full-time staff. It’s compared only with libraries serving under 2,500 people, because per-person numbers always look big in a small town. A year at the library ↓
Open only about 21 hours a week
Bennett Public Library keeps short hours: about 21 a week, averaged over the year, so check its schedule before you go. The building ↓
Most programs are for young children
70% of the 90 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including 1 for ages 0–5. Kids & programs ↓
This summary is written from the numbers on this page. Numbers are the library’s own report to the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024; in a town this small, one busy program or a few avid readers move the per-resident numbers.
What’s behind Bennett’s civic life grade
Bennett isn’t graded on civic life: TownRatings grades towns of 1,000 residents or more.
Civic life counts registered nonprofits, library visits and online volunteering groups, so it can miss civic life that runs through congregations, mutual aid or neighbors looking out for each other.
Library visits: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024. Nonprofits: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, October 2026. Volunteering: Social Capital Atlas (Opportunity Insights), from data by Meta Platforms, Inc.; Chetty et al., Nature 2022. How TownRatings grades civic life →
Ahead of most similar-size libraries on 2 of 7 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving under 2,500 people across the U.S.
Bennett Public Library serves 813 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving under 2,500.
Every hour the doors are open, about 2 items go out
Fiscal year 2024. The library’s own count.
More than half the print loans are kids’ books
1,700 print loans last year. The library didn’t report its e-book and e-audiobook loans.
Each of the 5,719 books and other items on the shelves went out about 0.3 time last year, on average.
About 1 kids’ program a week
Story times, clubs, classes and events, by who they’re for.
Programs last year by age group
story times and programs a week for ages 0–5, on average.
Find it
Bennett Public Library, 203 Main, Bennett.
Hours are the survey’s yearly average. Check the library’s own site for today’s hours.
For every $1 it spends, the library lends about $1.44 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Bennett cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $54. Operating budget $31K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $45K worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $31K budget.
Fine-free. No late fees on books returned late.
Retail prices are typical, rounded down: a new book $17, a kids’ book $12, an e-book or e-audiobook $15, a movie rental $4, a class or program $10, a computer or Wi-Fi session $3. The average cardholder’s month = the library’s yearly loans, attendance and Wi-Fi sessions ÷ its 206 cardholders ÷ 12.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- Digital loans not reported. The library didn’t report e-book loans, so borrowing here is print only.
Hours are the survey’s yearly average; libraries are compared with others serving about as many people. How TownRatings uses library figures →
Questions about the library and civic life in Bennett
Does Bennett have a public library?
Yes. Bennett Public Library, 203 Main, serves Bennett’s 813 residents (the survey’s count) and is open about 21 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Bennett Public Library fine-free?
Yes, no late fees (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Bennett’s library?
It logged 2.6 visits and lent 2.1 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3.5 visits for libraries serving under 2,500 people.
What is Bennett’s civic life grade?
Bennett isn’t graded on civic life: TownRatings grades towns of 1,000 residents or more. How it works.
Book talk
Reading, story times and the library in Bennett.
Libraries: Institute of Museum and Library Services, Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024. Each library reports its own numbers. Distances are straight-line from the town center. “What your card is worth” uses typical retail prices and is an estimate, not an official figure.